For a long time, Bill Cosby was the Left’s most celebrated ornament. He checked all the boxes for the Left in the 80’s and 90’s. His TV show was supposed to be the new model family for America. Cosby was the strong, sensible father married to a a smart and independent woman. Bill Cosby was Barak Obama when Barak was still Barry the African guy who sold weed. In fairness, the show was funny and entertaining without being preachy. Cosby made his money as a PG comic courting middle-class Americans and his sitcom was more of the same.

Then in the 2000’s Cosby went off the reservation and started saying bad things about black people. I would assume Cosby’s politics are to the left, but he is clearly from the other side of the culture divide. Cosby comes from the Booker T. Washington tradition in black America. That’s the belief that blacks get their place at the table by being so good whites have no choice but to acknowledge them. Cosby never played the victim card and often railed against those who did play that card. That made the Cult very uncomfortable in the 2000’s and Cosby fell out of favor.

That I think is why they have decided it is time to run the rape stories about him. Cosby is old and mostly retired now. He has become particularly ornery about his politics, which makes him a bigger problem. I have no idea if any of it is true. I’m naturally skeptical about this stuff. But, the story as presented suggests there’s something to it.

Bill Cosby, in the midst of a serious PR crisis as accusations about him sexually assaulting women make headlines around the world, has decided to stay silent.

In an interview on NPR’s “Weekend Edition” that aired Saturday (where Cosby and his wife appeared to talk about loaning works to the National Museum of African Art), Cosby, 77, didn’t say a word when host Scott Simon asked him about the allegations. In the past, Cosby has repeatedly denied these claims.

“This question gives me no pleasure, Mr. Cosby, but there have been serious allegations raised about you in recent days,” Simon said, without specifically saying what the allegations in question were.

There’s a long a pause. “You’re shaking your head no. I’m in the news business, I have to ask the question: Do you have any response to those charges?” Simon said.

Another long pause. “Shaking your head no,” Simon continued, and said again: “There are people who love you who might like to hear from you about this — I want to give you the chance.” And again, no response. (Listen to the audio here.)

The interview comes a couple days after Cosby’s name quietly disappeared from the “Late Show With David Letterman” guest line-up for next week. Cosby was supposed to appear on the show on Wednesday. Then, late this week, his name was gone and replaced with talk show host Regis Philbin.

There’s no word on whether the cancellation was Cosby’s idea or the show’s. Letterman’s publicist told the Associated Press that “We can’t comment on the guest booking process.”

Letterman remains in good standing with the Left, despite his own habit of assaulting female interns and coming retirement. It’s perfectly plausible that word is out that Cosby is on the proscribed list. The degree of cooperation within the Left across media companies is well documented so this is probably a coordinated attack on the Cos.

It’s why I’m skeptical about Cankles running for president. The Left never forgets and they never forgive. Like Nixon she may outmaneuver them to win the primary, but like Nixon she will learn that there is no beating the Left in the log run. If they are willing to take out a revered figure like Bill Cosby, they will have no qualms about taking down a bitter old hag at the end of her career.